Loughrea
Loughrea
| |
|---|---|
Town | |
| Motto(s): Irish: Dia d'ár Stiúrú "God guiding Us" | |
| Coordinates: 53°11′49″N 8°34′01″W / 53.197°N 8.567°W | |
| Country | Ireland |
| Province | Connacht |
| County | County Galway |
| Elevation | 82 m (269 ft) |
| Population (2022) | |
| • Urban | 6,322 |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (WET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (IST) |
| Eircode routing key | H62 |
| Telephone area code | +353(0)91 |
| Irish Grid Reference | M621163 |
| Website | discoverloughrea |
Loughrea (/lɒxˈreɪ/ lokh-RAY; Irish: Baile Locha Riach, meaning 'town of the grey/speckled lake'), is a town in County Galway, Ireland. It lies to the north of a range of wooded hills, the Slieve Aughty Mountains and Lough Rea, the lake from which it takes its name. The town's cathedral, St Brendan's, dominates the urban skyline. The town is in a townland and civil parish of the same name.
The town increased in population in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Although Loughrea serves as a commuter town for the city of Galway, it remains an independent market town. Loughrea is the fourth most populous settlement in County Galway, with a population of 6,322 as of 2022.